Question:

I have a question for you along the lines of "intervention," especially in light of some the recent news stories about Christian parents who refuse medical help for their sick children--believing that the illness is a result of some sin and enough "prayer and faith" will heal.  My hunch is that this is wrong and un-biblical but am unable to explain it.  Could you help me flesh this out with biblical support?

Response:

First of all, your intuition is exactly right.  The key issue is “testing God” which simply means to do something to provoke God to act.  This is a grave sin and one of temptations that Satan uses against Christ.  It’s also Israel’s sin in the wilderness which they commit 10 times.  Hebrews has several discussions about this. 

So, these unfortunate stories we read about in the news are basically situations where people are testing God and trying to provoke him to do something (ie – heal children).  This is the same sin illustrated in the fictional USC story that is wideley circulated.  Understanding that this is similar to that story, you can see that in addition to testing God:

1.       It bears false witness concerning Him

2.       It operates from a presumption that human beings have some authority over God which is in itself a lie.  This of course is idolatry and blasphemes God’s name.

3.       It assumes a sort of works-based righteousness whereby people can control the divine through their own actions.  This of course makes people their own god and their own source of salvation.

As I say, bad theology always results in bad ethics.  So, hence the misfortune of children whose parents believe these lies.  The parents, in their vain attempt to control God, end up sacrificing their own children to false gods…  Doesn’t it strike you as demonic that these children suffer and even die even though their parents are claiming to be saving them?  The fact is that the parents are not trying to save them, but rather they are erecting their own idols to save themselves and the idols are powerless to save.

As for divine intervention, it does happen, but its always within the context of God’s covenants which He Himself has established.  So, God intervenes covenantally.  Some people mistakenly interpret the Bible to believe that they can claim certain Old Testament blessings that were related to the Sinai covenant.  What they neglect to understand is that they actually deserve the curses, not the blessings, in the strict sense of the Mosaic covenant.  In the New Covenant, such Mosaic blessings for “good behavior” and curses for “bad behavior” no longer apply since Christians are not under the Mosaic covenant, but rather the law of grace. 

I hope this helps, in Christ, Marty